Toy taxicab



H. c. MORGAN TOY TAXI CAB Filed March 13. 2 Shaw s-Sheet l ,Jnvera o rv l'la ero C. fjorqa 1?,

Nov. 4 1924. I 1,514,220

H. C. MORGAN TOY TAXI CAB Filed March 13. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ha erz 6. Morgan 7 v Wide/wk Y 2 v Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

HAZEN C. MORGAN, OF FBEEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARCADE MANUFACTURING F E'CE.

COMPANY, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OLE ILLINOIS.

TOY TAXICAB.

Application filed March 13, 1922. Serial No. 543,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAZEN C. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toy Taxicabs, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to toys, and more specifically to an improved toy vehicle for small children.

One object of the invention is to provide such a vehicle of sufiicient weight to stay on the ground and hold its direction fairly well, ordinarily requiring a deliberate effort with definite intent, to change its direction of movement. Such a toy weighing half a pound, or even a pound, will be picked up by the child and thrown around more or less like a ball or glove, and will only hold its direction when it happens that the child rests its weight on the toy. This, the'child does not know how to do when the toy isfirst given it. By the time the child learns to rest its weight on the toy, the toy is often so battered as to be no longer fit, for such use. In any event, as soon as the childdoes this, the load on the toy will bend the axle or otherwise put the toy out of commission after a very short period of such use. The sense concept of something which tends to move in a straight line with slight friction comparedwith its inertia, isthus not imparted to the child at all by such atoy which is either light or flimsy or both.

Another object is to use the material employed to give the toy a proper weight, to impart structural strength and durability thereto.

Another object is to simplify the construction, and especially the assembly, of such a toy, by reducing the number of parts to a minimum.

Another object is to provide a cheap and serviceable small scale imitation of a cellular rediator structure. 4

Another object is to provide an improved construction for the driver and steering wheel.

Another object is to provide ahuman figure which may be positioned in different places inside the toy, andinserted in several vention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation and, Fig. 2 a

bottom plan view of a toy constructed according to the principles of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the same embodiment, and Fig. a is a partial rear view with the spare wheel in section.

Fig. 5' is a detail longitudinal section through the front portion of the device;

Fig. 6 is a detail front view of the driver and Figure 7' is a plan view of the driver. Figs. 8 and 9 are rear views showing modificatlon of the spare wheel and the means for holding same.

In the embodiment of my invention. selected for illustration, the main body of the vehicle comprises two portions indicated. as

an entirety by reference characters l'Oandj12' respectively. These portions abut along the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle and each comprises afront fender 14, a running board 16, a rear fender 18, depending flanges 20 and'22 formed in imitation of springs, one half 24,016 the radiator frame, one half26 of the engine hood, one side wall 28 of the body, and half of the front 30, rear 32 and top 84. Bosses 36 are provided each carrying a spot of silver paint 38in imitation of lights. The abutting halves 4O of'the front seat, and. 42 of the rear seat are also formed integral with the side portions-10 and 12. The tire of the spare wheel 'i'salso formed in equal halves 4L4 abutting on the center plane of thedevice, each half being integral with oneof the side portions 10 and 12. Parts 44: are of channel cross section and receive the edge of a disc 46' to hold it in place and parts without much I Only two fastening devices are employed to complete the entire assembly. I have illustrated tension bolts 4:8 and 50 above the front and rear axles respectively. To hold parts 10 and 12 in alignment, they are provided with a plurality of interlocking projections and irregularities of contour. A lug 52 on part 10 and lug 54 on part 12 each underlie the edge of portion 26 of the opposing part, whereby both parts are locked against vertical movement. A small projection 56 cooperates with a registering aperture in the body of the front seat to hold the parts against relative longitudinal motion. The radiator cap 58 also locks the parts against longitudinal motion being formed integral with part 12 and entering a cooperating recess in part 10. Another interlock against longitudinal motion is provided. at the rear end by the parts A engaging the disc 46 and in the middle of the back, part 12 carries a lug 60, interlocking the parts against vertical movement. A similar interlock (not shown) may be pro vided in the back of the front seat, if desired.

To represent the cellular portion of the radiator, I employ a small piece of wire fabric, of somewhat finer mesh, than mosquito netting, coating the same with a thin coat of paint, which fills 'up the interstices in the fabric, without obliterating the mesh. This makes a very good imitation of a radiator structure, and is at the same time much more sanitary than if the fabric were not-painted. The painted fabric 62 lies with its edges in notches formed at (it and 06, and with its lower edge in groove '68, whereby it is completely supported and held in place.

In assembling the body of the vehicle,

parts 10 and 12, disc 46 and fabric 62 are juxtaposed in proper position, and permanently fastened together by tension bolts 48 and 50, lugs being preferably provided to prevent nuts '7 2 from turning. Front axle 7% and rear axle 76 are then slipped through aligned apertures positioned to receive them, and wheels 7 8 are placed on the ends of the axle and riveted in place. This completes the assembly of the vehicle. Wheels 78 in assembled position cover both ends of the fastening devices, so that the car can not be taken apart without first removing them. This is almost an impossibility for a child with no tools, although an adult can pry them off the axles with suitable tools and separate the parts of the car, without materially damaging the same.

The driver 80 comprises two halves 82 and 84;, part 82 carrying all the interlocking projections, such as central lug 86, the head portion 88, and the supporting stud 90. The arms 92 terminate in channel-like end pieces 04 shaped to simulate gloved hands. The

steering wheel 96 and column 98 formed in tegral therewith are placed between hands 94 and the parts fastened in place by a sigle rivet 100 passing through the body.

The driver is held in place in the vehicle by stud 90 entering socket 102 in the bottom of the front seat. The clearance between the drivers seat and the top of the car is suliicient to permit stud 90 to be removed from its socket so that the driver may be taken out of the vehicle. It will be seen that the space partially enclosed by the vehicle body has no less than 10 openings as follows: Downward in front of the front seat, downward between the front and rear seat, opening 10 and window openings 106 and 108 onjeach side of the car, rear window opening 110, and the front or windshield opening 112.

The driver can be inserted inside the vehicle through either bottom opening and through either side opening 10%. He may also be transferred from the front to the rear seat over the back of the front seat without taking him outside the vehicle. A duplicate socket 114 is preferably provided in the rear seat for receiving stud 90, or for supporting a similar model of a passenger. The dimensions of the parts are such that the legs and body of the driver can be inserted through the front windshield opening 112, but the arms are spread too far 'apart' to permit passage to or from the inside of the vehicle. Similarly, with somewhat greater difficulty, the legs and body can be inserted in either window opening 106, provided the driver is facing forward. Windows 108, while apparently the same size, are not exactly soi'as shown in the drawing by the edge of part 12 at the rear side of the window opening seen through part 10. The legs and body of the driver, when facing forward can be inserted through window 108 in part 10 with considerable difficulty, as the clearance is very slight, and on the other side stud 90 prevents the insertion of more than the drivers feet. Through rear window 110, the driver can pass with his head toward the front of the car either in or out, but with his feet toward the front of the car, he cannot pass through in either direction. This is because the rear seat and roof prevent tipping him enough to slip the arms and steering wheel through at an angle, when the body and feet are inside the car. Children at a certain stage of mental development will derive much pleasure as well as mental discipline from an investigation of the different positions in which the driver can be placed, and attempts to put him in or take him out of the vehicle through the various openings.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have illustrated two alternative constructions in which disc 46 is eliminated, and one of the regular stock wheels 7 8 is employed instead. In Fig. 8,

the rear fenders are notched at 116 and body portion 12 carries lug 118 overlying the top of the wheel. In this way the wheel is gripped at three points and firmly held in place.

In Fig. 9 projections 120 on the rear fenders not only form sockets 122 for the support of the spare wheel 78 but come into abutment at 124.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service, without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which features are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a toy automobile, complementary body parts, wheels thereon, an imitation spare wheel at the rear end of the vehicle, and holding members integral with said 3 body parts, clamping said imitation wheel in position.

2. In a toy vehicle, a dummy occupant comprising complementary portions secured together, each carrying an outstretched arm, each arm terminating in a hand cupped inwardly, and a free steering wheel gripped between said hands and permanently held in place thereby, said arms and steering wheel enlarging the cross-sectional spread of said dummy to its maximum extent.

3. A toy vehicle comprising a simulation of the body of a motor car, and a dummy occupant therefor, said car body having apertures permitting passage of said dummy and apertures not permitting passage, said dummy comprising complementary halves, each carrying an outstretched arm, said arms constituting the chief obstacle to passage through said apertures.

4. In a toy vehicle, a dummy occupant, comprising complementary portions secured together, each carrying an outstretched arm, each arm terminating in a hand cupped in wardly, and a free steering wheel gripped between said hands and permanently held in place thereby.

5. A toy vehicle comprising similar halves simulating the body of a motor car, including the seats, a socket in the left side of the bottom of the front seat, a socket in the center of the rear seat, a dummy occupant, and a stud formed on the body of said occupant for supporting said occupant on either seat.

6. A toy vehicle comprising a simulation of the body of a motor car, including the seats, a socket in the left side of the bottom of the front seat, a dummy driver, and a stud formed on the body of said dummy for supporting said dummy on the seat.

7. In a toy motor car, an imitation radiator formed of a meshed screen with the interstices filled.

8. In a toy motor car, an imitation radiator formed of a meshed screen with the interstices filled with paint.

9. A toy vehicle comprising a hollow body having seats but no floor, whereby a dummy pccupant may be inserted therein from be- 10. A toy vehicle having seats but no fioor, the body of said vehicle being formed of complementary halves forming opposite sides of the vehicle, and having interlocking irregularities of contour to prevent relative movement in a vertical fore and aft plane, tension members below the level of the seat for holding said halves in assembled position, an imitation radiator at the front of the vehicle, and an imitation spare tire and carrier at the rear end of the vehicle, said radiator and spare tire and carrier providing points of abutment below the level of said tension members.

11. A toy automobile having wheels, a spare wheel at the rear of said vehicle, and lugs on said vehicle holding said spare wheel in place.

12. A toy vehicle having wheels, and an imitation spare wheel at the rear end of said vehicle, said imitation wheel comprising a central disc, and tire portions integral with the body of said vehicle and embracing the edge of said disc.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this th day of March, 1922.

HAZEN C. MORGAN. 

